the diversions that they urge you to? It would be only sound tactics. I’m sure your father told you what good fighters the Red Indians were. It was their prac t ice to blend in with their surroundings, to appear to be one with the forest they sprang from. Our poor chaps stood out a mile in their scarlet and were thus easy targets. All you need do, Miss Eastwood, is to put off your scarlet coat, so to speak, and blend in with this London you find yourself in. It can not change you and it can only please two people who care very much for your welfare. ”
Lord Leith finished speaking and watched Miss Eastwood carefully. She seemed much struck by his words, and when she looked up at him again, she was pink-cheeked and contrite.
“How very foolish of me not to have thought of it. You are right, my Lord. And I have been quite blind. It is an excellent suggestion. For it wouldn’t be for long and it wouldn’t he actually deceptive, as you say. Father often said that the best-cut uniform does not make the best sort of fighting, man. And while gowns won’t make me what they truly wish me to be, at least it will set their minds at ease. Thank you, my Lord, for some really excellent advice.”
“If you like, I’ll give you even more,” he said, rising as she did. “I’ll accompany you to the dressmakers and donate my opinions as to the suitability of the garments. Aunt is rather antique in her opinions on the matter of many things, and we want you to do her proud.”
“It would be very good of you,” she said as he took her hand.
“And very good for you as well,” he declared, sensing her unease and shaking her hand once again, instead of raising it to his lips as he had planned. “Agreed, Miss Eastwood?” he asked.
“Agreed, my Lord,” she answered, almost gaily, withdrawing her hand quickly and thinking him the first really helpful fellow she had encountered since she had arrived in London. “And as we are on such good terms, you should really call me Jess, as all my friends do.”
“Jess?” he said thoughtfully. “Yes, much better than Miss Eastwood, but I think for our purpose I shall call you Jessica. That will ring much sweeter to conventional ears.”
“Yes, my Lord,” she answered promptly.
“Yes, Alex.” He smiled.
She looked up at the tall straight figure before her and noticed the broad shoulders, the well-shaped head with its aristocratic features softened by careless curling brown hair. An excellent fellow, she thought, who would have made a fine soldier—officer material, in fact.
Gazing down at her piquant face, he thought whimsically that she would have been far better suited if he had offered to buy her a set of colors, rather than a ball gown. Resisting an impulse to clap her on the shoulder as he would any agreeable young man he had just come to terms with, he instead rang for a footman to roust up his aunt so that they could be off to the dressmakers. It would be, he thought momentarily, an amusing expedition, a vastly amusing diversion, this getting an officer and a gentleman into proper petticoats.
4
L a dy Grantham, a lady noted for her voluble speech, never theless sat quietly as a clam as the coach drove through l.ondon. Instead of voicing her firm opinions on all that transpired before her, as was her usual wont, she instead listened to her two companion’s animated conversation and kept just as still and unobtrusive as did her lady’s maid. For her nephew was a wonder, she thought gleefully, noting how he had her difficult guest entranced by his words. The boy must have learned a thing or two from the snake cha r mers he had told her he encountered while he was in India, she thought contentedly.
For here they sat, on the way to a fashionable modiste, the very place where she had urged the chit to go for these past weeks; and here the girl sat, complacent and biddable, as t hough mesmerized by his speech. True, Lady Grantham thought fairly, the girl was doing a
Lord Leith finished speaking and watched Miss Eastwood carefully. She seemed much struck by his words, and when she looked up at him again, she was pink-cheeked and contrite.
“How very foolish of me not to have thought of it. You are right, my Lord. And I have been quite blind. It is an excellent suggestion. For it wouldn’t be for long and it wouldn’t he actually deceptive, as you say. Father often said that the best-cut uniform does not make the best sort of fighting, man. And while gowns won’t make me what they truly wish me to be, at least it will set their minds at ease. Thank you, my Lord, for some really excellent advice.”
“If you like, I’ll give you even more,” he said, rising as she did. “I’ll accompany you to the dressmakers and donate my opinions as to the suitability of the garments. Aunt is rather antique in her opinions on the matter of many things, and we want you to do her proud.”
“It would be very good of you,” she said as he took her hand.
“And very good for you as well,” he declared, sensing her unease and shaking her hand once again, instead of raising it to his lips as he had planned. “Agreed, Miss Eastwood?” he asked.
“Agreed, my Lord,” she answered, almost gaily, withdrawing her hand quickly and thinking him the first really helpful fellow she had encountered since she had arrived in London. “And as we are on such good terms, you should really call me Jess, as all my friends do.”
“Jess?” he said thoughtfully. “Yes, much better than Miss Eastwood, but I think for our purpose I shall call you Jessica. That will ring much sweeter to conventional ears.”
“Yes, my Lord,” she answered promptly.
“Yes, Alex.” He smiled.
She looked up at the tall straight figure before her and noticed the broad shoulders, the well-shaped head with its aristocratic features softened by careless curling brown hair. An excellent fellow, she thought, who would have made a fine soldier—officer material, in fact.
Gazing down at her piquant face, he thought whimsically that she would have been far better suited if he had offered to buy her a set of colors, rather than a ball gown. Resisting an impulse to clap her on the shoulder as he would any agreeable young man he had just come to terms with, he instead rang for a footman to roust up his aunt so that they could be off to the dressmakers. It would be, he thought momentarily, an amusing expedition, a vastly amusing diversion, this getting an officer and a gentleman into proper petticoats.
4
L a dy Grantham, a lady noted for her voluble speech, never theless sat quietly as a clam as the coach drove through l.ondon. Instead of voicing her firm opinions on all that transpired before her, as was her usual wont, she instead listened to her two companion’s animated conversation and kept just as still and unobtrusive as did her lady’s maid. For her nephew was a wonder, she thought gleefully, noting how he had her difficult guest entranced by his words. The boy must have learned a thing or two from the snake cha r mers he had told her he encountered while he was in India, she thought contentedly.
For here they sat, on the way to a fashionable modiste, the very place where she had urged the chit to go for these past weeks; and here the girl sat, complacent and biddable, as t hough mesmerized by his speech. True, Lady Grantham thought fairly, the girl was doing a
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